The truth about graduating is that you’re simply leaving one journey and starting another. As you might imagine, the key word here is “starting.”
I remember being fairly shocked at the low starting wages of some entry-level jobs I researched after graduating. Hadn’t I just worked hard and earned a degree? Didn’t that make me a valuable asset to hiring companies? Come to find out, the answer to that question is equal parts "yes" and "no." Having a degree on your resume helps you get a foot in the door, but that does not mean you’ll be starting at the top—or even in the middle, for that matter.
All college students and recent graduates have the opportunity to consider post-graduate studies, temporary jobs, internships, externships and even contract work to try a particular field of work on for size. Unlike past generations, however, you have the technology and tools to find incredible opportunities all over the world.
Throughout the years, internships have gotten a bad rap. Students haven't always been given the tools to find beneficial internships and employers have been known to take advantage of cheap (or free) labor. That said, internships that focus on immersing a student or recent graduate in a field of work where they can learn the realities of an industry are incredibly valuable.
Externships are also valuable if you're not quite sure what field you're interested in pursuing. Essentially an exercise in job shadowing, externships are meant to give students access to a specific company or trade for a short period of time as a way to apply coursework to an on-the-job experience.
Listen in as Alexis chats about the importance of internships:
Alexis discusses the importance of internships.
If you're having a tough time finding the ideal full-time job, there is absolutely no shame in taking on temporary or contract work. I've had friends who've created lasting professional contacts and built careers on this type of work and, in today's economy, temporary and contract opportunities are becoming more commonplace.
Your best bet is to treat your search for temporary opportunities in the same way you would your full-time job search. Doing work that relates to your field is crucial, because who knows—you might end up with a full-time job out of the deal!
While post-graduate studies can seem a bit daunting, there are new non-traditional routes that offer students a way to keep learning without signing away another several years of their life. In fact, going deeper into your field of study—or even a complementary field of study—is easier than ever thanks to the internet.
Online Resources:
Short-Term Study Programs:
Often created by colleges and universities to help bridge the gap between undergraduate studies and the workforce, short-term programs can be a worthwhile investment. However, many students I've spoken to simply don't have the funds to spend on focused, post-graduate studies.
That's why Bethany's story is so intriguing. Listen in as she shares her reasoning behind her decision to crowdfund her summer program at NYU:
Bethany chats about crowdfunding a post-graduate program.
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Finding Opportunities
Aside from using the resources available at your school or local job fair, there are numerous online databases to search for your next big move. Here are a few favorites:
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Looking for a specific person or group of people to help with your transition from school to the workforce?
Let's take a look at finding mentors...